Abstract
Comparative transcriptional analysis of polyhdroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis genes with wild type strains and mutants, which lack the intact alternative sigma factor gene rpoN, was performed using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. In Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, phaI and phaF were co- transcribed. PhaF was a negative regulator of transcription of PHA synthase gene phaC1 but did not serve as auto-repressor. However, the alternative sigma factor RpoN is suggested as negative regulator of phaF transcription. In P. putida, phaI-phaF transcription is strongly dependent on nitrogen availability and PHA accumulation, whereas phaF transcription is not. These data suggested a differential regulation of phaF and phaIF. The phaC1 gene transcription occurred almost independently by of RpoN or nitrogen availability in both pseudomonads.